Cisco CVPN3000 VPN Concentrators

Many businesses have multiple locations or staff at different locations that need secure access to a company's network. Cisco's CVPN3000 series of IPsec VPNs offer the security and encryption features necessary to protect enterprise data, IP voice, and video traffic as it traverses the Internet. While many of Cisco's products offer VPN connectivity, including the ASA5500 series, the CVPN3000 line is still exceptionally attractive for its ability to affordably link together physically independent networks and provide large scale AES/DES/3DES encrypted remote VPN access to a company's network.

Because IPsec can be deployed across any IP network, it is an attractive option for customers needing VPN services and has become the de-facto standard in remote access. CVPN3000s can be installed so that (1) authorized users can connect in using a VPN client to access a secure network and (2) multiple networks in different locations can be connected to function as one network using CVPN3000s in each location. This allows users to access network resources in multiple locations.

Model Comparison

Click here for Cisco's VPN 3000 product information.The Cisco VPN 3000 Concentrator Model Comparison (CVPN3030, CVPN3060, CVPN3080)In provisioning a CVPN3000, it is necessary to decide the encryption type needed (SEP-200U for DES/3DES or SEP-E for DES/3DES/AES), whether single or dual AC power is needed, the number SEP encryption modules needed (1 to 4, based on the number of VPN connections needed), and whether redundancy in the VPN connections is needed (NR versus RED models). See below for the models defined by Cisco, although any combination of components can be constructed.

Cisco VPN 3030/3030E

Cisco VPN 3060/3060E

Cisco VPN 3080/3080E

Max Simultaneous IPSec Remote Access Users

1,500

5,000

10,000

Max Simultaneous WebVPN (Clientless) Users

500

500

500

Maximum LAN-to-LAN Sessions

500

1,000

1,000

Encryption Throughput

50 Mbps

100 Mbps

100 Mbps

Encryption Method

HW

HW

HW

Encryption (SEP) Modules Installed: SEP-200U for DES/3DES or SEP-E for DES/3DES/AES, and NR for nonredundant, or RED for redundant)

NR - 1 RED - 2

NR - 2 RED - 4

RED - 4

System Memory

128/256 MB

256/512 MB

256/512 MB

Hardware Configuration

2U, 1 or 2 AC

2U, 1 or 2 AC

2U, 1 or 2 AC

The CVPN3000 can be provisioned with SEP-200U encryption modules (supporting DES/3DES) or SEP-E modules (supporting DES/3DES/AES). Access can be clientless, by using CVPN3000s to bridge networks in different locations, or by using Cisco's VPN client or by using a VPN 3002 hardware client, a small VPN router designed to connect a small office network to the main network.